Keaton Running For NHSRA Office
McDonald County High School junior Callie Keaton is running for office with the National High School Rodeo Association. She is running for National High School Rodeo secretary.
McDonald County High School junior Callie Keaton is running for office with the National High School Rodeo Association.
She is running for National High School Rodeo secretary. She decided during the summer when she listened to campaign speeches of people who were running for office in 2017 at Gillette, Wyo.
Keaton has been involved in rodeo since she was about 3 years old and started out at the McDonald County Fair. She does barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying and breakaway roping.
“It keeps me busy,” she said.
She has been involved in National High School Rodeo since she was able to join the junior high division in the sixth grade, she said. She participates in the state of Arkansas because she has family there, and she is currently vice president of the high school rodeo for Arkansas.
She started campaigning recently for the national office during a mid-winter meeting in Jackson, Wyo. She talked to other states’ student officers and their queens. She also handed out lip balm that had her slogan on it, “Run With Callie For NHSRA Secretary.”
“I got my name out and made a lot of new friends, and got to help plan this year’s upcoming nationals in Rock Springs, Wyo.,” she said.
So far, she is the only one running for secretary, but more will join in as the time draws near, she said.
“I hope I win. I’m really looking forward to it,” she said.
Keaton is a daughter of Jennifer Keaton and Vance Keaton.
“They’re excited. They fully support me in everything I do and they want me to be the best that I can be. They love that I’m taking action and stepping out and doing what I love,” she said.
Asked what she enjoys about rodeo, Keaton said, “I enjoy the family environment and how everyone is friends with everyone and how we help each other to get better even though we’re competing. I’ve had friends who, when my horse is hurt they’ve loaned me their horse, and I’ve even loaned them my horse. It’s just the way rodeo works. We have each other’s back.”
Keaton is very much involved in FFA. She has been in FFA since she was in the ninth grade, and she is secretary this year. Last year she was chaplain.
“I’m very involved. Rodeo is part of my SAE (supervised agriculture experience) for FFA. That’s where I keep track of my winnings and the money I have to put into my horses to keep them healthy. I also have another SAE project — show cattle that I show and raise. I show when I buy cattle and sell cattle, to grow my SAE. It’s kind of like a record book. I also show expenditures such as hay and feed.”
She said she attends a lot of the events that the chapter puts on such as ice cream socials and barn warmings.
“I’m very involved in FFA and I love the organization and I love the opportunities it has handed me and the opportunities it will give me later in life,” she said.